Taking Chances
by Kinsler5
Summary: After being rejected, Gou turns to someone else to forget despite her brother's disapproval.
1. Mistaken

**Free! Iwatobi Swim** **Club **

_Well, here I am now. After spending my entire summer watching titans and swimming anime, I'm finally gathered my courage to write this story. It's my first Free! story, so please don't go to hard on me. My only knowledge is the anime since I haven't gotten around to read the light novel. I have heard the CD dramas, but I still fear that some of my characters will be OOC. _

_Anyways, thanks for checking out this story! Please feel free to leave any reviews or suggestions! Flames are welcomed even though they'll make me sad. I'm writing this just for fun and because well, I just love Gou. So, please excuse my grammatical errors and I hope this meets your expectations!_

_Disclaimer: Free! doesn't belong to me (sadly)._

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**Taking Chances**

**Chapter 1 - Mistaken**

She should have known better. She should've known what the answer was going to be. It was obvious from the beginning that her confession was going to be turned down. How could she compete against him? It wasn't even possible. She would never be able to win Makoto's heart because he only had eyes for Haruka. He devoted himself to Haruka ever since they were little. They were always together, giving each other undying support and friendship. She could never beat Haruka, the same way her brother could never beat him either.

Gou sighed as she hugged her knees tightly. She couldn't believe that she had actually gone up to Makoto. It had been out of impulse since she just couldn't bare the feelings she had developed for him. He was perfect in every way. Any girl could fall for him and she was clearly no exception. She liked him so much and she just wanted to see if he felt the same way about her. That's why she had gotten the courage to confess to him.

Of course, she never expected such big disappointment. Even though he tried to break it to her nicely, it still hurt her. It hurt her so much that she even shed a few tears. However, she managed to pull herself together and ended up giving him an understanding smile after he had turned her down. Who was she to tell him he was wrong? If he didn't want to leave Haruka-senpai, then she was no one to complain. She just needed to accept it and move on.

How could she, though? She liked Makoto so much and it was only until then that she was starting to realize it. They had been through so much together as team and she was able to see what a wonderful person he was. There was never a day she didn't think about him. There was never a day she didn't smile because of him. He was the perfect man. His personality was flawless and he was gorgeous. There was nothing to hate about him. Gou leaned her chin on top of her knees as she looked around her darkish room. Makoto was her ideal man, but he belonged to Haruka. With that in mind, Gou began to remember everything again...

"_Makoto-senpai!" Gou called out to him as she walked in his direction. They were all by themselves since everyone else was already in the pool practicing. She had caught him by the lockers by pure chance. He was holding his swimsuit in his hands and Gou figured he was just about to go change. "Everyone's already in the pool. We have to work on your times today. The tournament is just around the corner. We have to work hard!"_

_He smiled at her and Gou could feel an ache inside her chest. She smiled back at him before she looked out the around a bit nervously. She wondered if she should take her chance. "That's great, Gou-chan. I'll catch up with you all in a bit. I'm going to go change first."_

_She saw him turn around, but her hand suddenly reached out to grab the sleeve of his sweatshirt. He turned back to look at her with surprise and Gou couldn't believe what she had done. "Umm, Makoto-senpai," She told him and for the first time ever, she could feel her cheeks burning red. It was either now or never. "There's something important I need to tell you."_

"_Oh, what is it?" He replied, turning back to look at her. She had caught his attention, meaning there was no turning back. She either told him how she felt or she would have to swallow her feelings for who knows how long. Gou let go of his sleeve and shifted her gaze away from him with embarrassment. "Gou-chan? Is there something wrong?"_

"_Well, let me see. How should I put this?" She said quietly to herself as she placed her hand over her chin. She needed to act natural. She needed to act like she always did. Once she had assembled the words she was going to say, Gou looked at Makoto again to find him patiently waiting for her. "Makoto-senpai, I really admire everything about you. You're a great person and I don't think we could have a better captain than you. The point is that I like you, Makoto-senpai."_

_He stared at her with surprise and Gou didn't know what to do next. A part of her wanted to run outside while another part of her wanted to hug him. Silence surrounded them for the next couple of seconds or so and Gou could tell Makoto wasn't handling her confession too well. "I like you more than a friend, Makoto-senpai." She suddenly added with blush. "I like you in the romantic sense."_

"_I see." He told her, but his voice sounded so distant and cold. Gou looked up at him and they both stared into each other's eyes for what seemed like forever. She gulped when she suddenly saw him lift his arm. He left it in mid-air before he gently patted her on the head. "Thank you for liking me, but I don't think I can respond back."_

"_What?" She said, letting it slip out of her mouth along with a gasp. Her heart was pounding loudly beneath her chest and she couldn't help but wonder if she had heard wrong. Had she just been rejected or was she imagining it? "I'm sorry. What?"_

"_There's someone else I need to be with." He told her, looking toward the small windows. Gou took a step back and a part of her still couldn't believe what he was saying. "I don't think I can be in a relationship with you, Gou-chan. I'm very sorry. There's someone else I need to be with, but you can always count on me as a friend. I will always be here for you, okay? You're very important to me, Gou-chan, but I can't see you the way you want me too. I hope you can forgive me. I don't want to hurt you. Please forgive me, Gou-chan."_

_She didn't say anything and she just stared at him with awe. Her heart was breaking into a million pieces. After debating about it all day, she had finally confessed her feelings only to be rejected. Gou held in her tears with all her might and she somehow managed to hold them in. She didn't want to be looked down and she definitely didn't want Makoto feeling guilty. It was her fault for falling for the wrong person. "It's because of Haruka-senpai, right?"_

_Gou watched Makoto's face filling with surprise, but his silence confirmed her suspicion. Makoto could never like her because he was in love with Haruka. She could feel a bit envy, but she quickly pushed it away. She could never in a million years go against Haruka. Compared to him, she probably meant little to Makoto. _

"_All well. It's okay, Makoto-senpai." She gave him a smile which seemed to put his mind at ease. "It's fine. We have other things to worry about at the moment. We need to practice now! So you should go change so we start properly! As your manager, I will try my best to support you all!"_

"_Thank you, Gou-chan." He told her, giving her another pat in the head. Then, he quickly turned around and started running toward the restrooms. "I'll be right there."_

_Gou waved goodbye to him and she was glad that he didn't turn back around to see the tear that was crawling down her cheek. She wondered how long she would be able to keep up her fake smile for the rest of the day. She couldn't let anyone know that she had just been turned down by the club's captain. _

Just what had she been thinking? Gou became angry with herself as she thought back to the moment she had been rejected. She had never confessed to anyone before. In fact, she had never had a boyfriend in her entire life. She was new at all of that and she didn't know how to deal with her first rejection. She didn't know how to deal with her first heartbreak.

There was no one she could talk to about it. Her mother was out and her best friend wasn't picking up her phone. Gou looked down at her cellphone again before she picked it up. Once again, she started looking through her contacts when she came across her brother's number. She could text him, but the chances of him replying back were close to zero.

Even so, Gou didn't lose anything by paying him a little visit. She scooted herself to the edge of her bed before she stood up. She walked over to her mirror and stared at her reflection. She really did look horrible. Her eyes were swollen from all the crying she had done earlier and her nose had a small tint of red on it. Did she really like him that much? Had Makoto's rejection hurt her that much?

Letting out a sigh, Gou walked over to her closet and started looking around for a light sweater. The sun had already disappeared and the night had already fallen over the city. Still, it didn't matter to her. She knew that if she held onto her pain, she would never be able to sleep. She needed to talk to someone before she went crazy. After a long search through her clothes, Gou finally found a cute pink cardigan that seemed to go well with her current clothing. She slowly put it on before an image of Makoto appeared in her mind again. She could also hear his words circling in and out.

Gou walked out of her room and headed down the hallway. She passed by the living before she finally made it to the front door. She grabbed her shoes and quickly put them on. Placing her hand on the doorknob, Gou turned to look back at the kitchen. She could smell the food her mother had especially made for her. It smelled delicious, but in that moment, she didn't have time to think about that. Feeling sadness again, Gou opened the door and walked outside into the cold chilly air.

She hugged her body with her arms before she started walking away from her house. She needed to go talk to her brother. He was the only one she could turn to. She remembered always going to him when she sad back when she was little. She just hoped he wouldn't turn her away now. She needed someone to talk to. She wanted to let out some of her pain with someone and her brother was the only person she could think of.

With that in mind, Gou started walking toward Samezuka Academy. She pulled out her cellphone from her pocket and she began to dial her brother's number. However, her brother never answered and she wasn't entirely too surprised. It wasn't long before his voicemail picked up and Gou was left with no choice but to leave him a message.

"Hey, Brother." She began even though her voice came out as a squeak. "There's something I want to talk about with you." She paused and she could feel herself choking in her tears. Once again, though, she managed to pull herself together. "I need some advice, Brother. I'm heading over to your school right now. I just couldn't stand being in my room." She paused, hoping she hadn't given herself away. "Please call me back."

After that, Gou ended the call and placed her cellphone back in her pocket. There was no way she could tell her brother that she had been rejected by Makoto, his once friend. It would be way too awkward, but she could at least try to feel his support and comfort in a different way. He could advise her on what to do. He could tell her whether she should hold on to her feelings or not with reference to someone else. The least thing she wanted was for Rin to hate Makoto because of her. But, in that moment, she didn't know what else she was suppose to do.

It wasn't long before she finally made it to the academy. However, she headed over to where the swimming team usually hung around which was their indoor pool. Gou opened the entrance door to the pool and she was surprised to find the entire place empty. She let out a sigh since she figured her brother probably wasn't around. She continued on walking down the hallway before she came across the long glass window. She looked through it to find the pool completely still with nobody in it. There was clearly no one around.

She didn't know why she felt so surprise after all it was pretty late. Still, she had hopes that her brother would be swimming, practicing like crazy for the tournament that was coming up. His ultimate goal was to beat Haruka and she figured he would be practicing his heart out. Letting out a sigh, Gou turned around to walk back the way she had come from. She needed to leave before someone found out that she had barged inside the school without permission.

Before she had a chance to walk away, she heard a loud splash coming from inside the pool area. Her head immediately perked up with joy and when she saw a red head swimming in the water, she quickly headed toward the pool. She couldn't believe her luck. Her brother was actually there.

"Brother!" She called out to him with a loud voice, a smile appearing in her face. It was amazing how just seeing her brother could bring her so much strength and happiness. She really loved him and she was glad she would be able to talk to him. "Thank goodness I found you."

However, when he stopped swimming and when he took off his goggles, Gou realized that he wasn't the red head she was looking for. He turned to look at her before he excitedly got out of the pool.

"Gou-kun!"

…


	2. Declaration

**Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club**

_Somehow, I was able to make it through my first week of college. I managed to make a friend or two, surprisingly and so, far I've only signed up for one club which is the anime club. I'm so excited for that. My high school didn't have one, but I'm glad I still get to experience one there. I'll probably end up updating once a week because of hw, though. Please forgive for that._

_Anyways, I would like to thank everyone that took the time to read and review this story of mine! It really means a lot to me! So, please excuse my grammatical errors and my swimming knowledge. I hope this chappie meets your expectations! Also, I'm not really sure how Seijuuro's name is spelled, so please enlighten me!_

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**Taking Chances**

**Chapter 2 - Declaration**

The entire place was quiet. There wasn't a sound to be heard. She was alone, sitting in a small bench in front of the locker room. She was waiting for Seijuuro who had gone to change out of his swimsuit. She come to Samezuka Academy to look for her brother, but instead, she ended up running into the captain. Now, she was sitting outside the locker room, waiting for him to come out because he told her that there was something he wanted to talk about with her.

Letting out a sigh, Gou looked down at the floor. Everyone knew her as the happy and confident Gou. She didn't want that image to get ruined because of rejection. Gou grimaced to herself as Makoto's words ran through her head again. How was she suppose to cope with something like that, though? She didn't know how to deal with those new emotions. She had never been rejected before. She had never confessed to anyone in her entire life. If she would have known she was going to get rejected, maybe she wouldn't have bothered at all.

Gou pulled out her cellphone from her pocket, but she was disappointed to see that she had zero missed calls. She had sent her brother a million texts and a couple of voicemails already, so she didn't understand why he wasn't answering her. What exactly was he doing if he wasn't in the pool? Gou couldn't help but wonder if he had gone to bed already or if he was just simply ignoring. He was pretty cold sometimes, but she doubted he would ignore her that way.

Still, it was getting pretty late and Gou didn't feel like waiting for Seijuuro any longer. She stood up from the bench and started walking toward the exit. She needed to leave before he came back. After all, she wasn't sure if she would be able to wear a fake smile for him. Before she even had a chance to make it to the door, Gou heard the captain calling out her name. She let out a small silent sigh before she turned around to look. He was running in her direction, fully clothed and with a small backpack strapped around his back. Gou didn't understand where he would get all his happiness from.

"Gou-kun!" He called out to her as he stood right in front of her. He panted a little, but it wasn't long before he gave her a big warm smile. "Sorry for making you wait. I had to make sure I locked up before leaving."

"It's Kou." She reminded him with a pout before she started walking toward the door again. Surprisingly enough, he started following her. It was only until then that she started wondering what he could possibly want to talk about with her. As far as she knew, they didn't have any sort of connections beside the fact she was managing the swim team he was suppose to beat. "It's fine. Just forget about it."

"You came to look for your brother, right?" He asked her, placing his hand over his chin. Aside from having an amazing body, he was handsome and nice. But, that wasn't anything out of the ordinary. Makoto also had the same qualities and those were the reasons why she had fallen for him. With that thought in mind, Gou's forced smiled slowly turned upside down.

"He's probably in his dorm now or something. Maybe he's out for a run? I really have no idea." Seijuuro told her with a sigh before he quickly jotted in front of her. He reached the door before her and he pulled it open for her to walk out first. "Do you want me to help you look for him?"

Gou shook her head before as she stepped out into the cold chilly night. She looked up at the sky, surprised that the sun had already set and that the stars were starting to make their appearance. She had no idea it had gotten so late. She turned to look at Seijuuro, but he was already standing beside her, looking up at the sky with her. "Is something wrong, Gou-kun?" He suddenly asked her, catching her completely off guard. "Why do you want to find your brother so bad?"

"Is it that strange for a sister to want to talk to her brother?" She asked him, lifting an eyebrow. He stared at her curiously and Gou wondered if he could read right through her. If she didn't do something, she would end up pouring her feelings on a stranger. "There was something I wanted to talk to my brother about. It's about the tournament that's coming up. He hasn't been answering my calls, so I decided to come up here personally."

He stared at her as he crossed his hands with a suspicious look on his face. Gou tried not to make eye contact since she was afraid he would see her swollen eyes under the light post. She regretted so much coming to the academy. She couldn't believe she had let her feelings get the best of her. Biting her lip. Gou looked down at the ground, hoping Seijuro would just leave. She didn't have the strength to deal with him or his over energized personality.

"Something's wrong with you." He said again after a long pause, causing her to jerk back a little in surprise. Was she really that obvious that a guy she hardly knew her could tell? "You don't seem like yourself. What's wrong? Did something happen to you?"

"No, no!" She quickly stated, waving her hands back and forth. She gave out a small laugh as she pushed back some of her hair. "Everything's fine. I just dropped by to see my brother really, but since he's not around, then I might as well go home. I mean, there's no point in hanging around here if I'm not going to see him. It's already getting pretty late and I don't want my mother to worry. So, thanks again for everything, Captain Mikoshiba. I'll see you in the tournament. I hope you have a pleasant evening."

Gou gave him a quick bow, but he quickly grabbed her wrist, stopping her from going anywhere. She tried not to grunt, but a part of her couldn't help it. If she wasn't going to see her brother, then she might as well go home. She didn't want to be around a person that reminded her so much of Makoto. "You can't go home by yourself." He told her in a very sweet voice as he gave her another smile. "You said so yourself, right? It's getting late and I'll be more than happy to walk you home. What do you say, Gou-kun?"

"It's Kou." She gritted through her teeth while crossing her hands. He was so persistent and a part of her knew that he wouldn't take no for an answer. Still, Gou didn't want to be around him. She didn't know if she would be able to keep up with him and his happiness. "I'll be fine. Don't worry about it."

She was about to leave for the second time, but he stopped her again. He had released her wrist only to hold her hand. Gou surprisingly turned back to look at him and she wasn't sure if she was actually seeing him blush a little. His face looked so perplexed and embarrassed that it was making her a bit unease. She tried to pull from his reach, but he held her hand tighter and tighter each time. She wondered what was going on.

"There's something I want to talk to you about and I think this is the right time." He told her, closing his eyes briefly. He took a step closer, but the only thing she could do was stare at his odd behavior. "I mean, I don't think I'll ever get a chance like this again. So, please just listen to me, okay?"

Gou nodded, but she wasn't so sure what was going on. He was standing so close to her that she could almost see his chest because of slightly unzipped sweatshirt. He really did have the perfect form and perfect body and it surprised her that she was barely noticing. She had always been so blind by Makoto and the others to notice Seijuuro. Gou looked up at him and she became a bit flustered when she accidentally made eye contact. The long an awkward pause between them was making everything worse. She wished he could just come out and say whatever it was that he wanted to say.

"You're very pretty." He suddenly told her as he lifted his other hand toward her face. His eyes were so focused on her that it was making her feel a bit uncomfortable. However, she managed to give him a smile as way to thank him for his nice comment. It wasn't the first time he had told her something like that after all. "I've been thinking for the past few days or so, that maybe we could hang out sometimes. I mean, I want to get to know you better. So, what do you say, Gou-kun? Do you want to go out with me?"

She hadn't really expected that last question, so she quickly back away with awe. It was too much for her to handle in one day and she had no idea how she was suppose react to something like that. She had just been rejected a couple of hours ago and now, she was being asked out? Sometimes Gou just couldn't believe the oddity in life. Letting out a sigh, Gou looked away from Seijuuro's face since he was impatiently waiting for her to answer his question. If she would have stayed home, she would have avoided everything she was going through.

"I'm sorry, but I can't agree to that." She suddenly told him and she didn't bother to look at his reaction. She didn't want to see him react the same she had when Makoto had rejected her. He had turned down her confession because of Haruka and she was turning the captain's invitation because of Makoto. Once again and for some strange reason, Gou could feel her eyes swelling with tears. "I can't go out with you because there's someone else I like."

Why? She didn't get it. Why did thinking about Makoto bring her so much sadness? Why did it make her so weak? Did she really like him that much? Were her feelings for him more than a mere crush? Was she in love with him? That realization brought so much fear within her because she knew that if she in love, it would be an unrequited love. Makoto would never in a million years be able to feel the same thing she felt for him. His heart belonged to Haruka and even though he didn't admit, Gou knew that was true. He didn't need to confirm it for her to know.

It frustrated her to think that she had fallen for a taken man. She should have just kept her feelings silent. She shouldn't have acted on impulse thinking something would happened. Even after she had been rejected, she tried to hide away her sadness and pain by being her usual self. She had tried to act natural during their swimming practice. She tried to laugh and joke around Nagisa like the way she always did. She tried to hold a normal conversation with Ama-chan. She tried to encourage Rei as he swam aroun ind the pool. She tried to look at Haruka without feeling any resentment and she tried to ignore her pounding heart when she stood next to Makoto.

Now, that she was alone with a complete stranger, she just couldn't hold back her feelings anymore. She didn't have to hold them in. There was no point in doing so. She wouldn't accomplish anything if she kept her sadness buried beneath her. She needed someone to talk to. She needed some that wasn't a part of the Iwatobi Swim Club. She just needed a shoulder to cry on. Not being able to hold her tears in, Gou suddenly felt one crawl down her cheek. She slowly wiped it away before she looked up Seijuuro again. "Well, I should get going. I'll see you in the tournament."

"Kou." He suddenly whispered into the cold chilly night. He slowly placed his hand over her cheek before he caressed it gently. He took another step closer, his eyes never leaving her. She could feel his body warmth and it was then that she started battling with her emotions again. She didn't want to break in front of him. That was something that she was only permitted to do alone. What would he think of her? She didn't want him to think that she was weak and helpless because of a guy. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

His voice was so low and soothing. His fingers slowly trickled up her to her eyes and he slowly wiped away another tear that had managed to make an escape. It was inevitable, though. He had gotten right through her and Gou didn't know how much longer she would be able to hold on to her fort. "I'm fine really. There was just something in my eye."

"Right." He said, but of course, he didn't believe her lie. "I understand that you don't trust me enough to tell me what's going on. I get it. That's why you came looking for your brother." He took a pause before he gave her hand a tight squeeze. His fingers slowly intertwined with hers while his other hand reached out to grab her hair. She didn't understand why she was letting him touch her that way. A pert of her wanted to push him away, but her mind and body weren't working too well together. "Still, if something's troubling you, I'll be more than happy to hear you out. I'm here for you as a friend, admirer, whatever you want."

H"Thank you." She told him as a faint smile formed on her face. His words were enough to put some her uneasiness away and even though her mind was in a bit of a blur, Gou was still conscious enough when she leaned her forehead on top his chest. He quickly held her shoulders, but she stopped him from lifting her face. She didn't want him to see her cry. She didn't want him to see her crying a river a tears because of Makoto. So, he held her there, without saying a single word.

"I really did like him, you know." She suddenly said. Her words were coming out on her own as well as her tears. He was holding on her shoulders while she held onto his sleeves. That was exactly what she wanted and it didn't matter if it was her brother or not. She just needed someone to talk to. She needed someone to reassure her that she was special. "And a part of me had hoped he would like me back. That wasn't the case however. He's in love with someone else. There's no room for me."

"Well, he's an idiot then." He exclaimed, pulling her into a tight embrace. Gou's eyes widen as she felt Seijuuro's strong arms wrap around her body. "You shouldn't dwell on a person that doesn't appreciate you. He's probably blind because I think you're beautiful. I mean, who would be dumb enough to turn down a cute girl like you?"

He sounded so angry and yet, he sounded so hurt and offended. Gou couldn't blame him, though. He had just asked her out and yet, she had pierced him with such a declaration. Pushing herself away, Gou decided that she had said more than enough. She had already shown the captain more of her personal life than she had ever shown her best friend. She had seeked out her brother for that purpose, but instead, she ended up in Seijuuro's arms.

She tried to leave for the third time, but Seijuuro stopped her once again. His hurt face was completely gone and Gou's was surprised to see his eyes almost glowing. "I have an idea, Gou-kun." He told her, grabbing her hands excitedly again. He held them close to his lips before he gave them a small kiss. Gou's eyes widen as she stared at him with surprised. She tried to pull them away, but he wasn't letting go. "I'll help you forget about him."

"What?" Pulling her hands from his reach, Gou stared at the guy before her strangely. She wondered if she had heard right. She falsely laughed it off before she turned to look in another direction. "What's going through your head, Mikoshiba-san?! I mean, seriously. You shouldn't really play around like that. Anyways, I really should-"

She wasn't even able to finished her sentence because Seijuro had already forcefully turned her back around. With flustered face, he suddenly bent down and gave her a sweet kiss on the lips. Being caught off guard, Gou didn't know what to do. She panicked as she felt Seijuuro's soft lips graze hers. Her first kiss had just been taken from her by the least unexpected person. Still, she was surprised when her hands didn't bother to push him back. They remained still while her heart started racing from anticipation. Is that what it felt like to be desired and wanted?

He quickly parted from her after that, but his face remained close to hers. He was breathing heavily and she could feel his hot breath hitting her skin. She gulped as her eyes wandered back to his chest. He probably noticed because it wasn't long before he placed her hands over his nicely built chest. Gou gasped as he pressed her hands tightly against his body. Her face was getting hot by that point and she couldn't help but silently dwell and admire his perfect form.

"I don't think the guy you like can compare to me." He told her silently as he leaned closer to hek. Gou snapped her eyes shut when she felt him bury his head on her neck. "Just give a chance, Kou. I promise I won't let you down."

"Why?" She said with her breathing getting a bit out of control. She wasn't used to it. She wasn't used to having a guy touch her that way. It was the first time anyone had ever taken an interest in her on that level. She didn't know how to react, but if it would have been any other person, she probably would have pushed him off already. There was just something about the captain that she couldn't go against. "Why me?"

"Give me a chance." He told her again, placing his hand around her waist. She needed to give him a proper answer, but she didn't know what to say. Everything she was doing and thinking was wrong. She couldn't just accept because she had been dumped by her crush. She would only end up making things worse. Still, would she be able to move on from her first rejection alone? Should she just give him a chance and get everything over with? She knew it would be impossible for her to fall for him, but should she still try. "Kou?"

"I don't know." She told him, pushing him off. "I don't think I can give you an answer right now. I'm so sorry. I just really need to think about all of this. I'm sorry."

"Wait!" He suddenly exclaimed before he started looking for something inside his pocket. Gou, feeling her face burning up, watched as the captain pulled out his cellphone. He gave it to her and pointed to number keys. "Please give your number."

Gou gave him a small smile and she did was she was told. After everything that had happened, it would seem dumb for her not to give him her contact information. He walked next to her and he silently watched her punch in the numbers. Then, he placed his hand around her shoulders and gave her a cheerful smile. When she was finally getting down to push the last number, Gou heard a very scary and frightening voice behind her.

"Mind explaining yourself, Captain?!" It was her brother. He was standing right behind them along with his roommate Nitori. She was happy to see him at first, but that feeling was quickly washed away when she saw him gritting his teeth at them. Gou walked away from Seijuuro as she wondered what was up with her brother. It seemed to her that he had been out on jog with Nitori, but that didn't explain his foul mood.

"Matsuoka-kun!" Seijuuro greeted him calmly, waving his hand back and forth. "Look! Your sister came all this way to see you!" Her brother didn't bother respond back. He ignored Seijuuro's greeting and it almost seemed like he was ready to charge toward him.

"What the hell were you doing with my sister?!"

…


	3. Overturn

**Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club **

_I'm so sorry it took so long to update. I've been so busy with school and stuff that I just couldn't find the time to sit down. I like finishing my chapters in one sitting because if I take breaks, my ideas will probably flutter away. So, that's makes it a bit more difficult I guess. Anyways, I'll try to update again this weekend. _

_So, I would like to thank everyone who has dropped by to read and review this story. This is my first Free! story, so please forgive me if the characters are a bit OOC at times. I haven't read High Speed, but I have gone through the drama Cds and they are simply adorable! So, please excuse my grammatical errors and I hope this chapter meets your expectations!_

* * *

**Taking Chances**

**Chapter 3 - Overturn **

Ignoring the awkward silence that had just developed among them, Gou gave Seijuurou his cell phone back before she walked toward her brother. He seemed more than furious and she couldn't exactly see why. She hadn't done anything wrong or had she? Either way, Gou was extremely happy to see her brother and she couldn't help but form a smile on her face. She happily embraced his arm and pressed her cheek tightly against it. However, she still didn't manage to get his attention.

"Brother," She said to him, but his eyes were still focused on Seijuurou. His hands were firmly clenched into fists while his eyebrows were furrowed with anger. Gou looked at him curiously, but decided to ignore the issue. She came all that way to see him and he couldn't even take the chance to appreciate that. "I'm so glad I finally found you. I called you and texted you so many times, but I just figured you were busy."

"What are you doing out so late?" He suddenly snapped at her, giving her a really mean looking glare. Gou jerked back a little with surprised before she silently gulped. There was no doubt in her mind that she had caught her brother in a foul mood. He leaned closer to her and said something to her that sounded more like a snarl. "And what the hell were you doing with that guy? Do you have any idea what time it is?"

Gou knew that he was just worried about her and as flattered as she was, she felt that her brother had no reason to get mad at her. Letting out a sigh, Gou looked down at the ground, regretting ever coming there at all. She should have just stayed home and swallowed in her grief like that way she usually did. Trying to act natural, Gou gave her brother a smile as she placed her hands behind her back. "I came to see you. Is that so wrong?"

"There are better times to do it, you know." He told her with a glare before he placed his hands inside his pockets. He smacked his lips annoyingly before he turned to look at Nitori. He had been staring at them silently while Seijuurou was busily doing something on his phone. Gou figured that he was probably looking at the number she had just given him. "Hey, you," her brother called out to Nitori. "Just go back to the dorm. I'm gonna walk my sister home."

"I understand, senpai." He cheerfully nodded, but instead of leaving, he turned to look in her direction. He gave her a smile and Gou couldn't help but smile back. He seemed like such a nice kid and she figured that her brother couldn't have found a better roommate. After all, he needed someone that could fill in the gap for Haruka and the others. Nitori, with his charismatic personality, seemed the indicated person to be by her brother's side especially now when he was going through some pretty rough times. "It was nice you again, Rin's sister. I hope you have a nice evening."

With that being said, Nitori headed off toward the building and now the only one left with them was Seijuurou. Gou looked at him and his words immediately came flashing back to her. She couldn't believe that he had actually confessed to her and had asked her out. She told him she would think about it, but in all honesty, Gou had no idea what she was suppose to do or say. She hadn't expected that from him and he had caught by complete surprise. Unconsciously, Gou placed her fingers over lips as she felt her cheeks flushing red. He had taken her first kiss out of nowhere.

"Matsuoka-kun," Seijuurou suddenly said, placing his phone inside his pocket. He gave them a faint smile which seemed to piss her brother off even more. "I'll be more than happy to walk Gou-kun home. That is if you let."

"I don't allow it." Her brother replied a bit too quickly. He suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her a bit closer toward him. Gou's eyes widen at her brother's reaction, but her heart skipped a small beat when she saw Seijuurou's torn face. "I already said that I was walking her home. Why don't you go find some other girl to hit on?"

Before she had a chance to say anything, her brother started pulling her away briskly in the opposite direction. It wasn't long before they left Seijuurou behind and Gou kind of felt bad for him. For some reason, her brother didn't seem to like the captain and she wondered if that was her fault or if the problems ran deeper than that. Either way, Gou couldn't see why anyone would even hate Seijuurou in the first place. He almost seemed as kind as Makoto. Once they had excited the school gate, her brother let go of her arm and started walking a bit ahead.

Gou let out a small sigh as she looked up at the dark, but starlit sky. It was a very beautiful and peaceful night, but her heart wasn't in the mood to enjoy the pleasant evening. There were so many things on her mind and encountering Seijuurou had just made everything worse. Now, she had multiple problems to deal with. Not only did she have to find a way to forget about Makoto, but she also had to find a proper response for Seijuurou. Then, to make things worse, she had no one to turn to for advice. She doubted her brother would understand boy troubles.

"So what were you doing at the Academy anyways?" Her brother suddenly asked her, startling her for a bit. He slowed down his pace and it wasn't long before they were both walking side by side. Gou bit her lips as she tried to keep herself calm. Her emotions and feelings were started to flutter frantically inside her since it always shocked her to realize that he brother truly cared about her. "It must of been important or else you wouldn't have bothered at all. What is it? Did something happen?"

"Nothing really." Gou told him, but her voiced had accidentally cracked in between. Then, for some strange odd reason, her body started to quiver and she wondered if it was just the chilly air that was making her cold. "I mean, nothing out of the ordinary really. We've been pretty busy lately and we've been practicing a lot. The guys seem really motivated and I'm really glad about it. What about you? Aren't you excited to swim with Haruka-senpai again?"

"Don't change topics." He told her, but she could sense something different in his voice. Noticing that sudden change, Gou suddenly felt like apologizing to her brother. She should have figured that excitement was probably the least thing he felt. It was true that he was motivated to beat Haruka in the race, but that was probably it. She didn't think that would be enough to release him from his pain and sorrow. "We're talking about you. I don't think you came all this way to tell me that. If you have something you want to say, just say it. Or what? You don't trust me?"

"No. I mean, of course, I trust you, but I don't think that's really the issue here." Gou began as an image of Makoto appeared in her head. There was no way she could ever tell him that Makoto had rejected her confession because Haruka. That would probably end her brother's friendship with them for good and was something she had been trying to save since she joined the swim club. That had been her sole purpose since the beginning. "I just don't think you would understand what I'm going through."

"Then why did you come?" He stopped walking and turned to look at her with frustrated look on his face. Of course, his attitude suddenly soften when he saw her eyes swelling with tears. Since she didn't want her brother to see her that way, Gou quickly rubbed her eyes, stopping her tears from crawling out. Gou formed a smile on her face and she hoped her brother would fall for it. "Hey? What's wrong with you? Did that punk do something to you!? That Seijuurou is such a damn player. Don't believe a word that guy says. He flirts with every cute girl he sees. He's going to regret-"

"He didn't do anything, brother." Gou quickly interrupted him. She wasn't about to tell him that Seijuurou had taken her first kiss since that would probably arouse more anger within him. Still, a part of her didn't really understand why she had to give him explanations especially when he usually didn't nose into her business. "I was looking for you and I just happened to bump into Captain Mikoshiba. He was going to help me find you actually."

"Oh, yeah?" He lifted an eyebrow as he crossed his hands completely unamused. He glared at her intensely and Gou could feel her mouth going a bit dry. She wasn't sure how much her brother had seen and she wondered if he had actually seen them kiss. "Then, are going to tell me what's wrong or not?"

Gou's eyes widen a little and she quickly looked down at the ground again. Snapping her eyes shut, Gou took a step closer toward her brother before she tightly grabbed his sleeve. Then, she slowly leaned her head on his chest which surprised him entirely. Of course, feeling her brother so close, brought her eyes on the verge of tears again. "I just wanted to see you." She said faintly, but loud enough for him to hear. A breeze swirled by them, but her brother's warmth protected her from the coldness. "I miss you. I wish you could come back home with us."

Her brother didn't say anything and it wasn't long before his strong hands rested on top of her shoulders. He pulled her away and he looked at her straight in the eyes. "I'll ask you again." He said to her in a pretty rough sounding voice. "What's wrong? You're acting weird. I'm not going to believe you if you tell me you're alright. I know you better than anyone and I can see past your lies. So, just get down to the point and tell me what's wrong."

"I confessed to a boy today." She suddenly blurted out and it was then that she could see the sudden panic grow on her brother's face. His eyes widen and with an open jaw, he stumbled back a bit. Gou sighed and focused her gaze on the ground. Despite the night's silence, Gou could hear her brother's breaths getting heavier and she could also hear him babbling silently to himself. She shouldn't have told him, but he was, technically, the only one she could turn to. "There's nothing for you to worry about, though. He rejected me on the spot. I guess that's why I've been feeling pretty down. I didn't have anyone to talk about it with so I decided to come to you."

There were so many things that she was leaving out, though. She was leaving out the part that the guy she had confessed to was Makoto. She was leaving out the part that he had rejected her because he was in love with Haruka. Gou turned to look at her brother, but his panic and surprise was still written all over her face. Her words had probably shocked him to the point where he could just stand speechless. She wondered what he would say if she told him that her feelings for Makoto were more than a crush. She wondered how he would react if she told him that she was in love with his childhood friend.

"What the hell are you saying!?" Her brother exclaimed, placing his hands over his hair. He stared at her angrily again, but Gou was already pretty much used to it. "Who the hell did you confess to!? What idiot would even think about-"

"It's fine, brother." She interrupted him again, giving him a small smile. It always made her feel happy when her brother showed signs that he cared about her. He didn't say it directly to her, but she knew the ways he implied it. "I'm sorry for bothering you with my problems. Anyways, I think I can walk alone from here. It's not very far away."

Without giving him another chance to speak, Gou gave her brother a quick kiss in the cheek before she started walking away. When she heard her brother calling her, she turned around and waved good-bye despite her urge of going back. With that being done, Gou started walking home by herself and a part of her couldn't help but sigh in relief. She knew that if her brother pressed the issue she really would have ended up telling him everything. Of course, that was something Gou had wanted to avoid since beginning since she knew her brother wouldn't hesitate to pound the guy that had managed to break her heart.

He was like that even back when they were little. She remembered when she would get bullied by the neighbor's son her brother would defend her each and every time. Then, he would end up scolding her to not go outside alone. They would tell each other secrets all the time and she would always be his partner-in-crime. She remembered the way he would always crack a stupid joke just to make her feel better and the way he would enthusiastically tell her about his swimming practices and competitions. He was really the definition of cute.

However, Gou noticed something in him change when he came back from Australia. He suddenly became distant and he hardly spoke to her at all. Then, he transferred to Samezuka Academy and he got even farther away from her. However, when she became the manager of the Iwatobi Swim Club, she noticed something. She came to the realization that her brother needed Haruka and the others. He needed his old friends back if he ever wanted to move forward. That's why she became determined to find a way to make them swim together again.

When Gou finally saw the roof of her house, she felt her phone vibrating inside her pocket. She quickly pulled it out and was a bit surprised to see that she had gotten a text from an unknown number. Letting her curiosity get the best of her, Gou read the message and she immediately became surprised to see who it was from.

_It was really nice seeing you. Thanks for giving me your number. I hope your brother isn't too mad at you._

Gou stared at her cellphone screen as she looked at the message over and over again. It was clearly from Seijuurou and she was surprised that he hadn't wasted any time to text her. Gou gripped on her cellphone tightly while an image of Makoto suddenly appeared in her mind. How she wished it was Makoto texting her that way. She wished it him that would get excited to see her, but of course, that spot was already taken by Haruka and he could never in a million years compete against him.

She was about to put her phone away when she suddenly felt it vibrate again. She sighed when she realized it was from the same number. However, his next message shook her up badly enough to almost make her want to drop her phone.

_I guess, I'm going to have to ask your brother for permission to date you, huh?_

…


	4. Confusion

**Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club**

_Finally! I thought I would never get the chance to update any of my stories again. However, I managed to sneak in three hours to write this chapter. College has kept me busy like crazy. When I'm not doing homework, I'm studying and when I'm not studying, I'm too tired to do anything._

_Anyways, I would like to thank all my readers, reviewers, followers, ect.! I can't thank you all enough and I am terribly sorry for the long wait. I will try to update as soon as I can. I promise. So, please ignore my grammatical errors and I hope this chapter meets your expectations!_

_Oh, I still can't believe that Free! ends this week! What am I going to look forward on Wednesday?! Knowing myself, I will probably won't watch the ending until like a year or two. I always do that. I can't tell you how many animes I have failed to see the last episode (Say I love You, Kimi ni Todoke, Kaichou wa Maid sama, Hellsing, FMA, Vampire Knight, ect.)_

* * *

**Taking Chances**

**Chapter 4 - Confusion**

A part of him couldn't believe what he had just heard. He didn't understand where she was coming from. Never in all their years had she told him something like that and maybe that was the reason why he was having such a hard time digesting her words. Snapping back to reality, Rin watched as his sister walked away. He called her back millions of times, but she only turned around to give him a small smile along with a cheery wave.

What the hell had she just told him anyway? There was only so much his brain could process and everything seemed like one big blur. First, he catches her with the captain, a guy that was known to be a big flirt. He couldn't exactly see what they were doing at first, but once he got closer, he realized the captain had his arm around his sister. Anger immediately boiled inside and a part him wanted to punch the hell right out of the captain.

Then, the look in her sister's eyes troubled him. She clearly wasn't being herself and she seemed too serious for her own nature. At first he didn't get it and he figured the captain had done something to her. Just when his mind was getting to the conclusion that he should have pounded that bastard, his sister dropped the bomb on him; she had confessed to someone and that someone rejected her on the spot.

Smacking his lips, Rin turned around angrily and started walking back to the academy. There was no use pressing the issue since it was already clear that his sister wasn't going to tell him anymore. Still, he couldn't help but feel annoyed. There were so many things he wanted to know and yet, he knew his sister was going to keep her mouth shut. He wanted to know who she had confessed too. He wanted to know if he, by any chance, knew that person. He wanted to know if he was actually worthy of her.

Rin placed his hands inside his pockets as he annoyingly rolled his eyes to himself. This was really all he needed. Now, instead of worrying about the stupid tournament that was going to take place in a week or so, he was worrying over his dumb sister. He never liked butting into her business, but sometimes he felt it was necessary to do so. She was too trusting and even gullible at times. If people used the right words, they could probably convince her to do anything. Pushing his hair away from his face, Rin stopped for a moment to look up the dark starry sky.

He didn't need this. He had enough trouble thinking about Haru and the others. He didn't need his sister's problems. He needed to focus on what lay ahead of him and that was the tournament. He needed to beat Haru, so he could just move on with his life and leave everything behind. He didn't want to be tied down by him or his father's memory anymore. He was tired of that. Once he beat Haru, he would finally be free of that burden that was weighing him down.

How could he do anything now that his mind was suddenly preoccupied on his little sister? Cursing silently to himself, Rin continued walking down the sidewalk until he saw the academy again. His sister was crazy if she thought he was going to let go of the topic that easily. He was determined to find her and pressure her for answers. He was ready to find the guy she was crushing on and have a serious talk with him. He wasn't about to forgive a guy that had made his sister cry and suffer. No one was allowed to do that and no was around to fool around with her either. She was the only one that actually understood him and she was the only one that could see through his feelings.

Rin walked passed the indoor swimming pool and headed to the dorms. He was so tired from all the swimming the captain had made them do and his nightly jog had just added to his exhaustion. He was ready to sleep out his worries and forget about everything that was troubling him. However, the minute he stepped inside his dorm room, he was greeted by Nitori's annoying voice and annoying smile. He didn't understand where he would get all his excitement and enthusiasm from.

"Senpai!" He exclaimed, walking toward him as happy as ever. Rin, on the other hand, failed to even look at him. He quietly closed the door and headed for the closest to change out of his sweatshirt. "You're back a lot quicker than I expected. Did everything go okay? I mean, why did your sister come all the way over here for? It doesn't really seem like something she would do."

"Yeah," Rin simply replied without bothering to look back at him. He took off his shirt and threw it on the floor before he grabbed a new clean one. He would normally shower before hitting the bed, but he decided he was too tired for that and, knowing Nitori, he probably wouldn't bother to go to bed until he did. Unfolding a newly clean shirt, Rin slowly put on and when he turned around, he was surprised to find Nitori standing right behind. "Everything's fine, so stop worrying about it."

"But, Senpai," Nitori continued as he followed him toward his bed. Rin sat down on top of the mattress and grabbed a nearby towel that was laying about. He quickly placed it over his head, hoping it would block away Nitori's annoying voice. He just wasn't the mood to deal with him or his enthusiasm. He had too much going on inside his head and Haru and his sister were partially responsible for that. "Are you sure everything's okay?"

Letting out a sigh, Rin watched Nitori's feet from underneath the towel. He was always liked that. Whenever he was troubled with something, he always tried to encourage him. He always tried to make him feel better. During practice, he would always cheer him on and he would always try to keep him stay positive. A bit like his sister, Nitori could almost tell what he was thinking and that creeped Rin out to no end. Then again, it was own fault for telling Nitori everything about his past and about his experiences with old friends.

"By the way, Senpai," Nitori continued on, despite the fact that he was ignoring him. He sat next to him, but he knew to keep his distant. Rin lifted his head to find a puzzled look on Nitori's face. "I think Captain Mikoshiba feels something for your sister. I mean, it's kind of hard not to notice. I don't know if you've realized that already though. It's just the way he looks at her, I guess. I don't know. I could be just imagining it. Please don't pay attention to what I'm saying. I could be wrong."

"You don't say." Rin gritted his teeth as he curled his hands into fists. He didn't need someone pointing the obvious. It was already clear to him that the captain was going after his sister, his only sister. Despite all his mixed up feelings, he managed to keep his voice smooth and calm. "What else makes you say that?"

"Well," Nitori began, placing his hand over his chin before he turned to look at him. He was taking too long to answer and it was making Rin grow impatient. "I don't know. It just seems like it. But, whether he likes her or not, I think they suit each pretty well. I mean, she's a really nice person and the captain is a really nice person too. It seems to me like they might really get along well and I -"

"Nitori," Rin interrupted him mid-sentence as he grabbed the towel that was laying over his head. He threw on the bed before he gave his roommate a death glare. Nitori immediately jerked back in fear, forming a nervous crooked smile. "Stop saying idiotic things. I don't think it's funny."

"Right! Right, of course!" He stuttered, standing up from the bed and stumbling toward the light switch. He chuckled nervously before he changed topics completely. "Anyways, it's getting late and we have to wake up early tomorrow, right?! I guess, it's best if we just head to sleep now?"

With that being said, Nitori quickly turned off the lights and climbed up to his bunk bed. He mattress creaked above him, but it wasn't long before it laid completely still. Despite the sudden silence, Rin didn't make an effort to undo his bed. He just sat there, staring out into the dark room. The wind was rustling violently against the window and it almost seemed like a storm was about to hit. Still, he figured that nothing could be worse than the feelings that were eating him inside.

Rin let out a small silent sigh before he grabbed a picture from underneath his pillow. He stared into it even the darkness blinded the colors away. He didn't have to see to know it was a picture of his father standing behind the swimming pool after winning the relay. He wasn't alone, though. He was standing with all his friends that had helped him win. Holding the picture tightly in his hand, Rin scooted himself on the bed until his back hit the wall. He leaned his head against it as well before he slowly shut his eyes.

Where would he be if his father was still alive? Would he still be with Haru and the others? Would he even have gone to Australia? What would have been his fate if his father would have completed his dream of being in the Olympics? The only thing that concerned him in that moment was beating Haru. Nothing else seemed to matter. He just wanted to beat him and put him in his place. He wanted to show him that he was the better the swimmer. He wanted to show him that all his swimming wasn't meant for nothing. He didn't swim in vain like he did; he swam with a purpose.

But, now his sister had showed up in the picture. She came trampling into his world with complete nonsense. Snapping his eyes open, Rin sat up and growled at the thought of his sister being with the captain or with any other guy with that matter. He knew how the system worked. He knew what guys like the captain thought of. He wasn't blind to that and in fact, he could already picture what would happened if the captain were to go out with his sister.

First, he would take her on a series of dates like he would with all the other girls he had probably dated with in the past. He would win his sister over easily with his manly charms and his somewhat impressive muscles. Once that happened, there would be no hope for his sister. Rin trembled angrily at the thought of his sister being touched by the captain's filthy hands.A guy like the captain was only attracted to cute girls and it disgusted him to think that he was now after his sister. There were millions of cute girls throughout Japan and the captain just had to pick his sister. It pissed him off to no end and he felt like stomping over to his dorm to give him a piece of his mind. Still, he managed to stay calm because he knew that his sister didn't like him back. Rin doubted she would ever pay attention to him that way.

Aside from that, his sister was too busy managing the swim club, so she clearly didn't have time to date the captain or anyone. Then, she was also interested in another guy, another guy he was ready to beat for breaking her heart. He needed to make sure that something like that never happened again. As far as he was concerned, the world was full of perverted guys that were ready to snatch a girl's virginity at any moment and he wasn't about to let his sister fall victim to that.

"Senpai?" Nitori's voice suddenly creaked, snapping him from his swirl of thoughts. Rin stayed quiet, not bothering to say a single word. It was better to make him believe that he was asleep because if he knew that his eyes were peeled open, he would probably come down from his bunk bed to talk him. Rin definitely didn't want that. He had enough to deal with already. "Senpai? Are you asleep?"

Silence followed for the next few seconds or so and it wasn't long before he heard Nitori shifting around in his bed. He had probably given up or he probably figured that he just wanted to be alone. Leaning his head back against the wall, Rin closed his eyes for the second time, but as exhausted as he was, he knew that sleep wouldn't come to him so easily. His hands slowly let the picture fall on top of the blankets and it wasn't long before his mind started thinking about the past again. There was no doubt in his mind that he would be stuck in the same moment until he beat Haru. He would never be able to move forward until he beat Haru.

In the end, Rin ended up having a sleepless night since his mind kept jumping back from Haru to his sister.

…


End file.
